1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf club head, and more particularly to a golf club having a lowered position of the center of gravity of the club head and providing a smooth follow-up swing of the club head and an increased flying distance of the golf ball.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei-7-313636 discloses a golf club head having the construction as shown in FIG. 5 through 8. As shown, bar-like members 5, square in cross section, are arranged side by side on a sole 3 of a golf club head 1, while being partially protruded outward from the sole 3. Provision of those bar-like members 5 enables the sole 3 to be well slidable on the surface of land, and hence provides a good swing (a smooth follow-up swing). Further, the lowering of a position of the gravity center of the club head is realized since a metallic material having a larger specific gravity than the material of a head body 7 is used for making the bar-like members 5. The lowering of a position of the gravity center contributes to increase of a flying distance of the ball.
As shown, the golf club head 1 includes the head body 7 made of titanium, a sole plate 9 attached to the sole of the head body 7, and the bar-like members 5 mounted on the sole plate 9. A plurality of elongated grooves 11 are arrayed in the sole plate 9, extending in the back-and-forth directions of the club head (FIGS. 6 to 8). To manufacture, members 13 of beryllium kappa (i.e., the bar-like members 5) are pressure-inserted into the elongated grooves 11 in the inside-to-outside direction of the club head. Then, the materials 13 are compressed to be plastically deformed so that the bar-like members 5 are fixedly mounted to the sole plate 9. The sole plate 9 having the bar-like members 5 mounted thereto is bonded to the head body 7 by welding, etc.
In the golf club head 1, the bar-like members 5, which are separate members from the sole plate 9, are protruded downward from the sole 3 (FIGS. 5 and 8). The bar-like members 5 directly receive impact from the surface of land when the club head hits the ball. Therefore, with a long time use of the club head, the bar-like members 5 will be loosened, damaged or broken, and possibly be removed from the sole plate 9.